State Plan · Washington DOSH

Washington Safety Training and OSHA Tailgate Talks

Washington runs its own State Plan, Washington DOSH, for private employers and state and local government. Enforcement records show 30,572 inspections at private worksites in Washington opened from October 2020 to September 2026, with 64,586 citations.

Private employers
Washington DOSH
State Plan
State and local government
Washington DOSH
Same State Plan
Private-sector inspections
30,572
Oct 2020 – September 2026
Hazard ranking
Nationwide OSHA data
Built from 525,000+ OSHA citations nationwide

Which safety rules apply in Washington

Washington runs its own OSHA-approved State Plan, Washington DOSH, under the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Division of Occupational Safety and Health. It covers private employers and state and local government in Washington.

Washington DOSH writes and cites its own codified standards, WAC 296.

Some work stays under federal OSHA even inside a State Plan state: maritime work (shipyards, marine terminals, longshoring), most federal enclaves and military bases, tribal land and U.S. Postal Service operations.

What gets cited in Washington, and what hurts people

Counts from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement records: inspections at private worksites in Washington opened from October 2020 to September 2026. Rankings and schedule data as of September 27, 2026.

The industry that stands out most is Agriculture: 8% of Washington’s citations, 2.6 times its share across all states.

Hazards cited most at private worksites in Washington

Almost all of Washington’s 64,586 private-sector citations are under its own code, WAC 296, which is numbered differently from the federal standards the hazard groups are built on, so they’re shown here as one total rather than grouped by hazard.

Where Washington’s citations fall, by industry

  1. Construction31% · about 16,768
  2. Residential & Commercial Services12% · about 6,570
  3. Auto & Vehicle Services9% · about 4,852 · 2.4×
  4. Agriculture8% · about 4,439 · 2.6×
  5. Manufacturing7% · about 4,025
  6. Retail5% · about 2,564 · 1.6×

By industry code; a code that fits two industries is split evenly. “×”: share here against the share across all states.

How the schedule ranks trades for Washington

Washington DOSH cites under its own state code, WAC 296, which is numbered differently from the federal standards the ranking is built on. So all 262 trades in Washington are scheduled from the national pattern, built from 525,000+ OSHA citations nationwide, the most reliable data available for Washington. Washington’s own figures, shown alongside, count only citations under federal-numbered standards plus accident reports. Washington’s own rules are listed below.

Trades that stand out in Washington

Washington’s most-cited industry, then the ones over-represented here, each with its most-cited trade (counted by the industry codes that belong to that trade).

Construction

General Construction

The Construction trade with the most citations at private worksites in Washington: about 9,254 since October 2020, at employers whose industry code belongs to this trade.

Washington cites its own state code, numbered differently from the federal standards, so your schedule uses the national pattern, the most reliable data available for it. Washington’s own data, shown alongside, counts only federal-standard citations and accident reports.

Washington data

1 citation, about 5 deaths, about 1 hospitalization since October 2020 (federal-standard citations and accident reports only)

  1. 1Struck-by & falling objects · 0 citations, about 1 death
  2. 2Mobile equipment, haulage & jobsite vehicles · 0 citations, about 1 death

NationwideDrives the schedule

11,017 citations, about 121 deaths, about 57 hospitalizations since October 2020

  1. 1Fall protection & working at heights · 2,984 citations, about 48 deaths
  2. 2Scaffolds · 1,355 citations, about 6 deaths
  3. 3Ladder safety · 945 citations, about 8 deaths

Agriculture

Forestry & Logging

The Agriculture trade with the most citations at private worksites in Washington: about 986 since October 2020, at employers whose industry code belongs to this trade. Agriculture makes up 2.6 times as large a share of Washington’s citations as across all states.

Washington cites its own state code, numbered differently from the federal standards, so your schedule uses the national pattern, the most reliable data available for it. Washington’s own data, shown alongside, counts only citations under federal standards and accident reports (about 3 deaths since October 2020).

Washington data

0 citations, about 3 deaths since October 2020 (federal-standard citations and accident reports only)

  1. 1Struck-by & falling objects · 0 citations, about 2 deaths
  2. 2Mobile equipment, haulage & jobsite vehicles · 0 citations, about 1 death

NationwideDrives the schedule

243 citations, about 61 deaths, about 17 hospitalizations since October 2020

  1. 1Struck-by & falling objects · 0 citations, about 23 deaths
  2. 2Tree work, trimming & felling · 3 citations, about 15 deaths
  3. 3Electrical safety · 15 citations

Auto & Vehicle Services

Auto Repair & General Maintenance

The Auto & Vehicle Services trade with the most citations at private worksites in Washington: about 2,423 since October 2020, at employers whose industry code belongs to this trade. Auto & Vehicle Services makes up 2.4 times as large a share of Washington’s citations as across all states.

Washington cites its own state code, numbered differently from the federal standards, so your schedule uses the national pattern, the most reliable data available for it. Washington’s own data, shown alongside, counts only citations under federal standards and accident reports (1 citation and about 1 death since October 2020).

Washington data

1 citation, about 1 death since October 2020 (federal-standard citations and accident reports only)

Shown for reference; the national pattern ranks this trade’s hazards.

NationwideDrives the schedule

4,759 citations, about 37 deaths, about 21 hospitalizations since October 2020

  1. 1Struck-by & falling objects · 0 citations, about 10 deaths
  2. 2Electrical safety · 710 citations
  3. 3Mobile equipment, haulage & jobsite vehicles · 1 citation, about 12 deaths

Retail

Grocery & Supermarket

The Retail trade with the most citations at private worksites in Washington: about 1,301 since October 2020, at employers whose industry code belongs to this trade. Retail makes up 1.6 times as large a share of Washington’s citations as across all states.

Washington cites its own state code, numbered differently from the federal standards, so your schedule uses the national pattern, the most reliable data available for it. Washington has no citations under federal-numbered standards for this trade since October 2020.

Washington data

0 citations since October 2020 (federal-standard citations and accident reports only)

No citations or accident reports for this trade since October 2020.

NationwideDrives the schedule

3,368 citations, about 27 deaths, about 58 hospitalizations since October 2020

  1. 1Machine guarding · 282 citations, about 1 death
  2. 2Electrical safety · 739 citations, about 1 death
  3. 3Forklifts & powered industrial trucks · 310 citations, about 1 death

Seasonal and yearly topics in the Washington schedule

Washington DOSH has its own rules for some seasonal hazards, and the schedule names them. Topics with no state or federal standard are placed as practice guidance.

In season

  • Heat illness prevention

    In season May 1 – Sep 30 · Washington DOSH has its own heat rule

    Placed for 188 of 262 trades

  • Wildfire smoke protection

    In season Jul 1 – Oct 31 · Washington DOSH has its own wildfire smoke rule

    Placed for 188 of 262 trades

  • Cold & wet weather work

    In season Nov 1 – Feb 28 · no federal standard; practice guidance

    Placed for 188 of 262 trades

Once a year

  • Hazard Communication (GHS labels & SDS)

    Placed once a year by policy: HazCom training is required at first assignment and when a new hazard is introduced (29 CFR 1910.1200(h))

  • Emergency action & fire prevention

    Placed once a year by policy: emergency action plan review is required at assignment and when the plan changes (29 CFR 1910.38(f))

  • Reporting serious injuries & recordkeeping

    Placed once a year by policy: reporting duties (29 CFR 1904.39) and the annual 300A summary (29 CFR 1904.32)

How the schedule is built, not legal advice. Check the rules for your worksites with Washington DOSH.

How My Safety Solution works in Washington

  • When you set up your company, you pick Washington. The app then applies Washington DOSH and builds your tailgate talk schedule from the national pattern, built from 525,000+ OSHA citations nationwide.
  • Each talk references the regulations it’s built on, from Cal/OSHA (Title 8) and federal OSHA (29 CFR). Title 8 applies only in California.
  • Talks don’t cite Washington’s own state rules, so check those with Washington DOSH for your worksites.
  • Keep your OSHA 300 log, 300A summary and 301 incident reports in the app, built around 29 CFR 1904. Check Washington DOSH’s own recordkeeping rules for anything it adds. Guidance, not legal advice.
  • Help with a written program or a Washington DOSH citation: consulting, as advice and guidance, requested from your account. Our team’s credentials include CHST, OSHA 500, OSHA 10 & 30.

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